Do you frequently work out of your home office? When working from home, do you find yourself more unproductive than when you’re out in the office? What if I told you that your home office can become a place where you work without a hassle? If a productive and habitable home office environment is what you aspire to create, you should consider following suggestions.
Boundaries
Sometimes having a home office can involve a lot more “home” than “office”. If you are after productivity, you must establish boundaries between your “home” life outside of the office and your “work” life in the office. These boundaries should psychological in nature and physically enforced. The association of your desk in a separate room of the house illustrates the physical enforcement of where work should be done. This essential step will help you recognize that your home office is your dedicated workspace, thus helping you stay focused on the work that needs done.
Make goals for yourself and remember only to cross boundary lines once work has been completed. If you do more on-the-go work like selling essential oils online or promoting other companies as you travel, make sure you have a briefcase with only work things inside. This way you can leave the house, but still have everything you need whether you’re going to run errands or meet with a client.
Nature of Your Home Office
To liven up your home office, consider making it more natural. Research has shown that the presence of plants and natural light in offices can increase happiness, workplace performance, and productivity. You can easily find an affordable house plant, and the only negative is that you must water them routinely. If you have windows in your home office, let the natural light in! If you don’t have windows, you can still reap the same benefits with a house plant.
Cleanliness
A clean, organized space will make your work more organized and motivate you to be more productive. Make sure you take time every week or even every day to clean up and tidy your workspace or office. If you find things piling up while you go through the week, think about getting a monthly service to help with deep cleaning so you can focus on housework, or the work you do in the office.
Distractions
Yes, you read that right! Research has shown that having different types of distractions, such as pictures or a game on your phone, can reduce the risk of burnout. When used in moderation, distractors encourage small breaks where you can take your mind off your work for a short amount of time. Consider it a small mental reward for your accomplishments. It is very easy for distractions to prevent you from accomplishing your work, so it is important to limit your exposure to them. Indulging in distractions while working in your home office can help you remain productive in the long run, but overindulging can produce the unproductive, unfocused effects that the word entails.
While these may be a few suggestions, they can have a significant impact on your productivity. By setting physical and psychological boundaries, introducing natural plants and light, and allowing time to take your mind off work, your home office can create a more habitable environment where productivity will thrive.
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